Copyright 2006 Chattanooga Publishing Company
By STUMP MARTIN
Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)
CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. — The goal of a series of inspections of child safety seats being held in Walker County this week is to make children safer, said Traci Napier.
Mrs. Napier, an administrative assistant for Walker County Fire and Rescue, said the goal this week is to check 200 child safety seats to make sure they are safe and properly installed.
So far, most inspections have revealed improper installation.
“We have checked 22 seats in three hours today, and only four were correctly installed,” Mrs. Napier said at the Food Lion parking lot inspection site Monday.
There will be four inspection days during Walker County Child Safety Week, co-sponsored by Walker County Fire and Rescue, Hutcheson Medical Center, Georgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety, Walker County Health Department and North Georgia Electric.
“Based on the number from last year, we have found that Walker County runs about 96 percent, as far as misuse, and the national average is 89 percent,” Mrs. Napier said, noting that of 131 car seats checked last year, only six were all correct.
Tracy Pevehouse is a registered nurse and clinical coordinator with the Walker County Health Department.
She urged parents not to buy a used child safety seat.
“They need to check the recall lists on the safety seats,” Ms. Pevehouse said. “Some are using seats that have been handed down from generation to generation.”
Tisha Noll, of Rock Spring, Ga., said she was happy she stopped to get her 11-month-old daughter Olivia’s seat checked.
“I came here to make sure her seat was connected correctly,” she said. “I’m glad that they’re doing this.”
It turns out, according to Stacy Gibson of the Walker County Health Department, that Olivia has outgrown the seat. The seat also was not secured tightly enough.
“It’s really tricky to install the seats, and you always need to check with your vehicle manual,” Ms. Gibson said.
Mike Massey with the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety said getting tightness is the typical problem.
“Most seats we check are strapped in too loose, and a child can be thrown from the vehicle in a crash,” he said. “I saw a child in LaFayette that was thrown through a side window out in the highway recently while still in the seat.”
The child survived, he said.
Another common problem is that parents don’t use booster seats for older children. The adult lap and shoulder belt generally don’t fit children until they are at least 57 inches tall and weigh 80 pounds. The booster helps position the belt to avoid serious injuries in a crash.
According to Safekids.org, most parents protect infants and toddlers in car seats, but many parents of children 4 to 8 years old skip the booster seat step, moving their child to the adult safety belt much too soon.
The inspection site today will be at the Rossville Fire Department on McFarland Avenue from 2-6 p.m.
Rossville firefighter Jerry Holder said more people showed up for the safety seat checks there last year than at any other location.
The inspections take about 20 to 30 minutes per seat. Parents are urged to bring the vehicle owner’s manual and car seat instruction book, and leave the child in the car seat when they arrive so an accurate assessment can be made.
CHILD SEAT CHECKS
* Today: 2-6 p.m., Rossville Fire Department, 400 McFarland Ave.
* Wednesday: 2-6 p.m., LaFayette Wal-Mart, 2625 N. Highway 27
* Thursday: 2-6 p.m., LaFayette Health Department, 603 E.Villanow St.
* Contact: Traci Napier, Walker County Emergency Services, Phone: (706) 764-1900